Dispatching mechanism for alarm signal systems



1 1944 F. F. HUMPHREYS 2,350,557

DISPATCHING MECHANISM FOR ALARM SIGNAL SYSTEMS Filed NOV. 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR FERDINAND E HuMPH/zEYs BY Z w I ATTORNEY June 6, 1944. HUMPHREYS 2,350,557

DISPATCHING MECHANISM FOR ALARM SIGNAL SYSTEMS Filed Nov. 14, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR FE/ZDl/VHQID E HUMPHREKS B @1 ATTORNEY Patented June 6, 1944 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DISPATCHING MECHANISM FOR ALARM SIGNAL SYSTEMS I r Ferdinand F. Humphreys, Caldwell, N. J 'assignor to Signal Engineering gr-Manufacturing. Company, New'York, N. Y., a corporation of Massachusetts Application November 14, 1941, Serial No. 419,097 4 Claims. (01. 177-360 The present invention relates to alarm signal systems, particularly fire alarm systems employing a number of bells or other signal devices adapted to be sounded or otherwise operated in response to the actuation of any one of a num ber of separate alarm sending stations, such systems being commonly installed in schools, factories, hotels and other large buildings. 7

In Wheelock Patent No. 2,238,144, issued April 15, 1941, there is shown and described an alarm signal system of the above indicated character, in which the actuation of a sending station is adapted to operate the signals through a number of code sequences, determined by the designation of the actuated station. While generally speak ing, the signals cease to operate on a code basis after a station has run down, the aforesaid'patent also discloses manually operable means-, at each station for causing operation of the signals on a continuous non-code basis, through functioning of an impulse transmitting device.. Furthermore, in Wheelock & Humphreys Patent No. 2,250,054, issuedJuly 22, 1941, there is shown and describeda dispatching mechanism for a signal code sending station, characterized by the provision of means for automatically closing the coding the coding contacts of an actuated station after the latter has run down, to cause operation of the signals on a continuous basis.

The present invention relates particularly to a modification of the dispatching-mechanism shown in the aforesaid Wheelock 8: Humphreys patent, wherein initial actuation of a sending station automatically closes contacts in theform of a the impulse transmitting device to operate the signals on a continuous basis, irrespective of the fact that the operating mechanism of the. actuated station has run down. A further feature of the invention resides in the .facility with which the above described switch contacts can be manually opened without arcing, when resetting the run down station, or can positively be prevented from closing to transmit a false alarm, when testing the operating mechanism. of the station.

.The above and other advantageous features of the invention will hereinafter-more fully. ap-

pear from the following description, considered inconnection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Fig. 1' is a schematic view, illustrating an alarm system comprising stations each embodying a dispatclriing mechanism of the invention, in

its normal non-operating condition.

i Fig. 2 is a schematicdiagram similar to Fig. 1, illustrating the transmission of signals on a continuous non-code basis, through functioning of the dispatching mechanism of the present invention.

Fig. 3' is aview in rear elevation' of a dispatching mechanism embodying the invention.

Fig. 4. is a side view of the parts of Fig. 3.

Figs. 5 and. G' are'fragmentary views based on Fig. l, showing parts of the dispatching mechanism indifferent positions.

Fig. 7 showsthepartsin position'for a test of the driving mechanism.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary end view of the mechanism.

Referring first to Fig. 1, the dispatching mechanism of. the present invention is shown, for pur pose's'lof illustration, 'as'being embodied in one or more sending stations of an alarm signal system, such as is shown in the copending application of John H. Wheelock and Hugo F. Cypser, Serial No. 418,116, filed November 7, 1941. In this system, the signals l are shownas being of the single stroke solenoid type, witheach providing an operating winding 2, within which moves a magnetic striker 2a. The windings 2 of the signals ,l are adapted to: be connected in sections across supplymains'3 andl l, with balancing resistors 5 between the sections, by means of a number of sets of relatively movable contacts 6 and 1 forming'p'artof a master controller, generally designated by the reference character A.

. The oontrollerA comprises awindingB, with a .main armature 9 movable. in response to full energiz'ation ofthe' winding to close the several sets ofcontacts and operate the signals 1. The controller winding 13 has one terminal thereof connected to. the supply main 4, while the other terminal is connected in series with a number of alarmsending stations S disposed in various locations throughout the 'system.' Each station S provides a dispatching mechanism, hereinafter described in'foletail,- the operation of which is adapted to intermittently open and close coding contact's lil,f in accordance with' the arrangement of'projections I la on a code wheel ll. Up-

onfactuation. ofa stations, the code wheel II is .adaptedfto befturn'ed through a predetermined number of revolutions by a spring motor I2 of any desired type, such as is usually employed in fire alarm sending stations, with the motor I2 being wound upon actuation of the mechanism, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The closed contacts I of the several stations S are connected in series with each other, and with a controlling resistor I3 by a station conductor I4. A return conductor I 5 passes through all of the stations, and the conductors I4 and in each station are adapted to be connected together by a short circuiting switch I6. The switch I6 is preferably in the form of a knife switch, as shown in Fig, 4, withthe movable blade I6a of the switch normally out of engagement with the spaced stationary contacts IBb. As will later appear, each switch I6 is adapted to be closed immediately in response to the actuation of its station.

The several stations S are connected by a condoctor I] .to the normally closed contacts I8 of an automatic circuit interrupter I9 of the type shown in Hanel Patent No. 1,968,500, issued July 26, 1932. The interrupter I9 is shown diagrammatically as consisting of a pivoted arm carrying one contact I8, and connected to the free end of a thermal'element 2 I, with the initial tension of the element 2I maintaining the contact I8 on the arm 20 in engagement with the stationary contact I8. Upon the passage of a predetermined current through the thermal element 21, its heatingand expansion permits a spring 20a to turn the arm 20 about its pivot to disengage the contacts I8, whereupon current no longer flows through the element 2|. The resulting cooling' and, contraction of the element 21 thereupon causes the arm 20 to reen age the contacts I8, and this cycle is repeated to cause the interrupter to make and break the circuit of the element 2I so long as suificient current flows through the element to cause its heating and expansion. The fixed end of the thermal element 2| is connected in series with the signal windings 2 and balancing resistors 5 to a current limiting resistor 22, that is in turn connected to the other supply main 3. Normally, a small supervisory current traverses the parts of the system described thus far, as follows:

Beginning at the supply main 3, the super visory current flows through resistor '22, signal windings 2 andthrough the thermal element'2'I and'normally'closed contacts I8 of the interrupter I9. The current then traverses the several stations through the conductor I5 and the controlling resistor I3, after which it flows by conductor I4 through the coding contacts I0 to the controller winding '8 and other supply main 4. The value of this supervisory current is so low as to have no effect on the main armature 9, although it is sufficient to hold in the auxiliary armature 23, which serves to keep closed a pair of contacts 24, forming part of a control circuit for fault-indicating signals, such as are-shown and described in the aforesaid Wheelock Patent No. 2,238,144. Therefore, all parts of the system are in a condition of supervision, ready t i d cate the occurrence of a fault, or to transmit a number of rounds of code impulses'in response to actuation of a station S, automatically folshown as having been removed from the fire alarm box in which it is normally mounted. A portion of the front of the box is indicated at 25, and when the door of the box has been opened, the mechanism is adapted to be actuated by a hand lever 26, accessible from the front of the box as shown in Fig. 3. The lever 26 is mounted on a shaft 21, and turning of the lever downwardly from the position of Fig. 3, causes suitable gearing to wind up the spring motor I 2. Consequently, upon release of the lever 26, the tension of the wound-up motor actuates the dispatching mechanism by causing rotation of a shaft 28 driven from the motor shaft I2a through suitable gearing 29. Code wheel II is mounted on the shaft 28, and the ratio of gearing 29 is such that the code wheel II makes several complete revolutions in response to one actuation of the lever 26 to wind the motor I2. The parts of the dispatching mechanism described thus far are usual in devices of this character, and the invention contemplates the provision within the dispatching mechanism of means for automatically causing the alarm signals to operate on a continuous non-code basis, after the mechanism has run down, as well as means for resetting the mechanism, and for making certain tests usually required in the maintenance of an alarm signal system.

As best shown in Fig. 4, the mechanism provides a coding arm 30, pivoted at 3|, with a lug 32 of insulating material extending between the free ends of the normally closed contacts ID. The arm provides an operating portion 33, normally received in a depression 34 below the general periphery of the code wheel II, with the station in a non-operating condition. Upon turning of the code Wheel II in response to actuation of the Referring now to Figs. 3 and 4, the dispatch ing mechanism embodying the invention is station, the portion 33 rides out of the depression 34 into the position of Fig. 5, and the resulting turning of the coding arm 30 causes the contacts I0 to open.

As previously pointed out, the switch I 6 provides a movable blade I6a, which is mounted on and insulated from the end of a lever 35, pivotally mounted on the shaft I2a of the spring motor. The opposite arm of the lever 35 extends across the code wheel II, and its end is connected to a pair of springs 36, which tend to center the lever in the position of Fig. 4, with the switch blade I6a out of engagement with the contacts I61). In this position of the lever, a stud 3'! thereon is located within a gap 38 provided in a circular cam track 39, turnable with the code wheel II. One face of the stud 31 is inclined and is disposed opposite to a beveled edge of the gap 38, so that rotation of the code wheel shaft 28 will cause the stud '3'! to ride onto the outside surface of the cam' track 39, as shown in Fig. 5. The resulting turning movement imparted to the lever 35 will cause the knife switch I6 to close, and it is to be noted that-this closure occurs almost immediately after the contacts II] have been opened by turningof the coding arm 30. The net result is that the controlling resistor I3 will be shunted out of the circuit of the controller winding 8 immediately following the actuation of a sending station, and that theresistor I3 will remain shunted out of circuit as long as the switch I6 reniafins closed.

While the closure of the switch I6 ;;has no "immediate efiect upon the controller winding 8,

due to the previous opening of the coding .contacts I0, these latter contacts will be closed as continued rotation of the code wheel permits the operating portion 33 of arm 30 to enter a depression 34a inadvance of the first code projection Ha; When this occurs, an energizing circuit for the controller winding 8 is established through the closed coding contacts l and switch l5, and the increased flow of current through the winding ii, due to shunting out the resistor l3, causes the controller armature 9 to pull in and close the several sets of contacts 6 and 1. Thus, the signals l are connected directly across the supply mains 3 and 4 to transmit the first impulse of the code sequence, and subsequent opening and closing of the coding contacts III as the portion 33 engages the several code projections and depressions therebetween, will cause the signals to transmitvthe code of the actuated station for a predetermined number of rounds, usually three or four.' As shown, the signals will sound three impulses, followed by two additional impulses corresponding to the code designation Thirty- Two.

During rotation of the code wheel H, the lever 35 remains in the position of Fig. 5, due to the friction between the blade and contacts of the closed switch l6, and the switch remains in this position as the code wheel comes to rest, with the operating portion 33 in the depression 34. Since thecoding contacts II) are then closed, the controller winding 8 remains fully energized after transmission of the last impulse of the code sequence. With the armature 9 so held in, as shown in Fig. 2, the upper set of closed contacts 3 and 1 causes the thermal element 2| of the automatic interrupter to be connected directly across the mains 3 and 4. The resulting continued flow of current through the thermal element 2|, as contrasted to the discontinuous flow during the transmission of code impulses, results in heating and expansion of the element 2| after several seconds. The pull of spring 2011 on arm causes opening of the circuit through the controller winding 8 at the contacts I8, whereupon the armature 9 drops out and the contacts 6 and open. The cooling and contraction of the element 2| which follows its disconnection from across the line, results in reclosure of the contacts l8 through the pull of the element, thereby reestablishing the flow of operating current through the controller winding 8. The signals I are thereupon operated again, and obviously, subsequent deenergization and reenergization of the winding 8 will cause the signals to be automatically operated on a continuous non-code, although intermittent basis.

As a result of continued closure of the knife switch it after an actuated station has run down, the signals I will operate indefinitely, under the control of the automatic interrupter. In order to silence the signals and restore the system to the condition of supervision shown in Fig. l, the dispatching mechanism provides a reset lever 4|], pivoted at 4!. As best shown in Fig. 8, one arm of the lever 43 extends upwardly beyond the pivot 4| to a point beneath the overhanging end of the lever 35. The free end of the lever arm carries a roller 42 that extends upwardly between oppositely inclined faces 43 and 44 provided by the lever 35, with the roller normally out of engagement with these faces.

The opposite end of the lever 4|] extends toward the front portion of the box, and is offset with respect to the pivot 4|, to provid an operating portion 45 having a notch 45a. therein, in which is received an arm 46 turnable with a shaft 41 extending through the front of the box. The

outer end-of the shaft41 carries a pin 48, and when the .doorof the box is open, a slotted key carried by a person in authority may be inserted to engage the pin,. and thereby'turn the shaft 41 to rock the arm 46 either up or down, as viewed in- Fig. 4. When the key-operated arm 46 is turned'up,'.with the switch l6 closed (Fig. 5), the resulting turningof the lever 40 on its pivot 4|, causesthe roller 42 to engage the inclined surface 43.. When thisoccurs, the camming action-ofthe roller 42 turns the lever about the shaft I2a, thereby moving the switch blade |6a out of engagement with the contact |3b', as shown in Fig. 6.

In order to test operativeness of the spring motor driving the dispatching mechanism, independently of the signals the lever 43 provides a portion 49 extending parallel to the plane of the code wheel beneath the contacts I0,- and having an insulating pin 50 adjacent the end of one coding contact. When the arm 46 is turned down, as viewed in Fig. 4, by the test key, the resulting turning of the lever 40 causes the pin 50, acting through contact In, to swing the coding arm 30 away from the code wheel through fiexure of the engaged contact with the lug 32, as shown in Fig. 7., At the same time, the roller 42 engages the inclined face 44 of switch lever 35, to swing the lever into a position wherein its stud 31 is entirely inside the track cam 39. Subsequent actuation of the dispatching mechanism by the handle 26 has no effect on the system, since supervision ismaintained by continued closure of the contacts l0, while the switch I6 is positively maintained in an open position. Release of the arm 46 by the test key restores the arm 33 and-lever 35tothe positionofFig. 4, due to the pressureof thefiexedcontact ID on the pin 32 and the equalizing action of the springs 36.

When it is desired to test the signals upward movement of the lever 46 by the test key from the position of Fig. 4. causes a second pin 5| on the lever extension 49 to close a pair of contacts 52 connected in parallel across the stationary contacts |5b of the knife switch. Since thecoding contacts ID are then closed,-in the non-operating condition of the station, closure of the test contacts 52 results in the signals giving one tap, for test purposes. Since turning of the lever 4|] which causes the pin 5| to close contact 52 also engages the roller 42 with the face 43 on lever 35, the knife switch It is held open while the test is being made.

As previously pointed out, the test key is also utilized to open the switch It after an actuated station has run down, and thereby silence the signals, which will otherwise operate indefinitely under the control of the automatic interrupter. When the key-operated arm 46 is turned up, with the switch It closed, turning of the switch lever 35 by the roller 42 is preceded by closure of the contacts 52, see Fig. 6, thereby preventing arcing at the contacts |6b, as the switch blade disengages these contacts. Since in order to withdraw the key it is necessary to return the shaft 41 to the position of Fig. 4, reopening of the contacts 52 with the switch l6 already opened, has the effect of again placing the resistor |3 in circuit with the controller winding 8. The resulting decrease of the current traversing the winding thereupon causes the armature 9 to drop out, and restore the system to the condition of supervision shown in Fig. 1.

It is to be noted that with the parts in the position of Fig. 5, that is with the knife switch it closed, the roller 42 is faced on one side by a. shoulder a adjacent the inclined surface 44. Therefore, only the opposite inclined surface 43 is effective to turn the switch lever 35 through movement of the roller. This arrangement prevents the switch l6 being opened should the key he accidentally turned in the wrongdirection when it is desired'to silencethe signals. With only the surface 43 effective to turn the .lever 35 from the position of Fig. 5, the switch [6 can be opened only after the contacts 52 have been closed by a movement of the pin 51 on the lever extension 49, as in Fig. 6.

I claim:

1. A dispatching mechanism for an electrical alarm system, comprising relatively movable contacts normally closed in the non-operating condition of said mechanism, a spring-driven motor adapted to be wound upon actuation of the mechanism, .a coding element rotatable by said motor for a predetermined period upon unwinding'of said motor to open and close said contacts for the transmission of signal impulses in accordance with the code designation of said element, a switch comprising a blade element carried by a pivoted arm and spaced stationary contacts normally out of engagement with said switch bla'depand a cam member rotatable-With said coding element for turning said arm to close said switch, in response to turning of said coding element immediately following actuation of said mechanism. 1

'2. A dispatching mechanism for an electrical alarm system, comprising relatively movable contacts normally closed in the non-operating condition of said mechanism, a spring-driven motor adapted to be wound upon actuation of the mechanism, a coding element rotatable by said motor for a predetermined period upon unwinding of said motor to open and close said contacts for the transmission of signal impulses in accordance with the code designation of said element, a switch comprising ablade element carried by a pivoted arm and spaced stationary contacts normally out of engagement with said switch blade, and a cam member rotatable with said coding' element for turning said arm to close said switch, in response to turning of said coding element, immediately following actuation of said mechanism, said switch being closed in the interval between the initial opening and closing of said coding contacts, to transmit the first impulse of the code.

-3. A dispatching mechanism for an electrical alarm system, comprisingrelatively movable contacts normally closed in the non-operating condition of said mechanism, a spring-driven motor adapted to be wound upon actuation of the mechanism, a coding element rotatable by said motor for a predetermined period :upon unwinding of said motor to open and close said contacts for the transmission of signal impulses in accordance with the code designation of said element, a switch comprising a blade element carried by a pivoted arm and spaced stationary contacts normally out of engagement with said switch blade, a cam member rotatable with said coding element for turning said arm to close said switch, in response to turning of said coding element, immediately following actuation of said mechanism, said switch remaining closed after said coding element comes to rest, and means for manually operating said arm independently of said coding element to open said switch.

4. A dispatching mechanism for an electrical alarm system, comprising relatively movable contacts normally closed in the non-operating condition of said mechanism, a spring-driven motor adapted to be wound upon actuation of the mechanism, .acoding element rotatable by said motor for a predetermined period upon unwinding of said motor to openand close said contacts for the transmission of signal impulses in accordance with the code designation of said element, a switch comprising a blade element carried by a pivoted arm and spaced stationary contacts normally out of engagement with said switch blade, a cam member rotatable with said coding element for turning said arm to close said switch, in response to turning of said coding element, immediately following actuation of said mechanism, and means for manually rendering said switch blade arm ineffective to be moved by said coding element, when said motor is wound and operated for test purposes.

FERDINAND F. HUMPHREYS. 

